The True Meaning of Smekday

By Adam Rex
It started the night Lucy Tucci disappeared. Lucy Tucci is Gratuity (Tip) Tucci's mother. After Tip is left alone in her house, with only her cat, Pig, for company, the aliens arrive for real.
The aliens are called the 'Boov' and have come to Earth because stronger, meaner aliens, known as the 'Takers', the 'Gorg', or the 'Nimrog' had taken over their planet. Gratuity suspects that they were the ones who took her mother. Then, while Tip is driving to Florida, she ends up in a corner store, inhabited by an alien who has taken the Earth name, 'J. Lo'. Tip decides to travel with him, and they go an amazing journey to Arizona (because the Boov found out that they really like to wear oranges), to save the world from the Gorg, passing quite a few immature boys on the way.
I really liked how this book is about how you shouldn't judge anything by its cover, how things that seem bad may not be so bad in the grand scheme of things and how it can always be worse. Also, never take cats for granted.

About Me and this Blog

I like owls. (Just call me Gylfie, which is my favorite name and was first in Kathryn Lasky's Guardians of Ga'Hoole series but I use as a screen name.) I read a lot as you  can see, but I don't put all the books I read on. If I did, there would be about 100 books each month, which would be time-consuming and hard to keep up with. I recently finished Shelby Bach's The Ever Afters series and really liked it. It's in my category 'Things That Make Me Wonder', right up there with Artemis Fowl and the movie Inside Out, which I loved. Here are some of my favorites.

Book-Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Series-Guardians of Ga'Hoole by Kathryn Lasky

Movie-Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Bye!!!!!!!!!!!!∑):> <-----Owl in a hat. Like it?

Of Enemies and Endings

By Shelby Bach

Rory is in a new year at Ever After School, and things are hectic. On the day before her birthday, her house is attacked by the Snow Queens witches, the Wolfsbane Clan. Rory knows that there isn't much longer until the Snow Queen decides to attack, due to the fact that Rory will hold the fate of magic in her hands soon. Rory makes her way to EAS, which is the only safe have, only to be soon called to help another attacked family. She realizes that Chase is slacking off missions and dating someone Rory knows is a cheater. She begins to do and say things without thinking, severing her friendship with Chase, but a time quickly comes when he needs Rory, who is the only one who can wake him from a never-ending sleep.
Soon also comes the time when it is time for Rory to leave and find the only thing that can defeat the Snow Queen, but must do it alone. She comes across many dangers on her way, only to find... more danger. And her first (second?) kiss.
It is a thrilling story with action, adventure, and (some) romance, but I recommend this series to all.

Feelings and Stuff

This is not a book or a book review..
Have you ever wanted to be INSIDE a book or movie and be, like, one of the characters?
I dream it sometimes.
First, I'm soaring above the Sea of Hoolemere with Soren and the Band, as Gylfie or me, then as Holly Short, trying to get to a patch of earth, then with Artemis Fowl about to go back in time to save his mother, next, in battle with Rory Landon and Chase or as Rory.
Sometimes, I'm flying above San Fransokyo with Big Hero 6, or maybe I'm meeting Harry Potter, going to Camp Half-Blood, saving the owls from Mother Paula's, possibly searching Fablehaven for secrets with Kendra and Seth, but whatever adventure I go into, whoever I become, no matter how many times I do it, it will always feel exiting and new. I think the books that make me feel the most inside, that I enjoy going into most, are Artemis Fowl, Hoot, and Guardians of Ga'Hoole, and I have learned that books don't have to be 2-d. They can be anything you want them to be. They're adventures on paper, that have been documented for all the world to see. They are stories that are true in your mind, that you can go into and live. You can make yourself part of the story, among the other characters, and maybe become a character, and without further ado, I would like you to go become part of a story.
~Natalie

Hoot

By Carl Hiassen

Roy Eberhardt is not from Florida.
He always says he's from Montana, but is really from Michigan, but Montana felt like his real home. When he moves to Florida, he is not happy. One day, he sees a boy running past the bus with no shoes on. The boy doesn't seem like he goes to Roy's school, so one day, hes follows the boy. It results in cottonmouth moccasins and golf balls. Roy tries to figure out who the boy is, and there are obstacles. On the hunt he meets,
1. A girl with a surprising secret
2. A building company with a scandal
3. And a lot with owls
Can Roy save the owls before it's too late?
Read to find out!

The Dumbest Idea Ever

By Jimmy Gownley
Jimmy is a good basketball player, gets perfect grades in school and has no real problems in life, but one day, everything turns upside-down. It all starts off with one presentation.
One day, Jimmy is asked to write a presentation about comics. He works extra-hard on it, thinking that, if his presentation is good enough, he'll be allowed to read comics in school. It doesn't work. Soon after, he finds out he has chicken pox and gets behind on school. If that isn't bad enough he gets pneumonia and his grades begin to drop.
After going into high school, Jimmy meets a girl, Ellen Toole, and falls in love. He writes a comic book himself, and is told by his friend, Tony, that he hates it.
The Dumbest Idea Ever is the true story of Jimmy Gownley and how he went through many things but came out on the other side with a great idea.

Of Giants and Ice

By Shelby Bach
Rory Landon is the daughter of a famous Hollywood actress and a famous Hollywood director. Her
life also never started until she threw a rock at a dragon.
One day, a strange lady named Mrs. White comes into her classroom and talks about an after school program called 'Ever After School'.  Rory goes for it and soon after finds herself on her way to Yellowstone National Park, where there has been a wildfire. There, Rory finds herself stuck with a boy called Chase between a rock and a dragon. She proceeds to throw a rock at it. That night, she wonders what happened. Two days later, she arrives to see a magical, towering beanstalk growing up in the middle of Ever After School's courtyard. She goes journeying up the beanstalk with Chase and her friend, Lena, not knowing what will happen.
Read to find out more!!
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Parent's Guide:
Romance/Nudity-None
Violence-Giants, Dragons,- figure it out. Just, lots of violence
Profanity-One character says 'crap' a lot.
Alcohol/Smoking/Drugs-None
Frightening Parts-One person almost dies due to a dragon bite. Two characters jump from about, 50 feet in the air. Etc.

Artemis Fowl

By Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl is a strange criminal mastermind. One day, he comes up with a scheme to kidnap a
fairy in hopes of becoming the first human to part fairies with their gold. He captures an elf named Holly Short, an officer of the Lower Elements Police, while she goes out to complete the Ritual, a special process the fairies do to restore their magic. He holds her captive until the gold is given, but must cheat death before it is truly his.
But that is not the strangest thing about him. Read to find out.

I liked how this book was incorporating magic and humans in a different way than usual. I liked how it talked about why nobody ever sees fairies and other magical creatures, but in a different way than Harry Potter, or Percy Jackson. There are eight books in the Artemis Fowl series. In order, they are,

1. Artemis Fowl 
2. Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident,
3.Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code
4. Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception
5. Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony
6. Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox
7.Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex
8. Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian
I think that fans of Harry Potter would like this book.

Fablehaven

By Brandon Mull
When Kendra and her brother Seth are invited to stay at their grandparents' house for two weeks in the summer, they think that it is going to be really boring. And it is, until at least they find a magical potion that makes them see magical creatures all around the yard. Their grandpa knows the secret is out and warns them of a dangerous and upcoming night. Then, after a mishap on Midsummer Nights Eve, Kendra and Seth are left to fend for themselves. They find out that a witch is out to destroy the farm, but then Seth is kidnapped and Kendra is the only one who is responsible for the fate of the farm. Can she save it or will it fall?

I really liked how Brandon Mull made this kind of a mix of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I liked reading it because you never know what happens next. If you like fantasy and/or mythology you would like this book.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn

By Dana Simpson
Phoebe is a 9-year-old girl who one day hits a unicorn called Marigold Heavenly Nostrils with a rock and they become best friends. They have many adventures together in this graphic-novel such as male spelling partners, Halloween, slumber parties, parents and worst of all...a birthday party!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :O!!!!!!! They also go through things like Fall, piano lessons and record stores. I liked reading about their adventures, and I especially liked when they started their own detective agency.
       This is a story of friendship, fun and mythical-ish creatures. I think that it's like a female Calvin and Hobbes, except with a unicorn and a girl. If you liked Calvin and Hobbes, I think that you would like Phoebe and Her Unicorn.

House of Robots

By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein.
Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez has a problem. A walking, talking, (living?) problem. His problem is also a genius and knows how to spell Kyrgyzstan. His problem is a robot. Named E. Which stands for Error. A robot who can ride a bike and can do anything.(almost.) A robot with eyes almost the exact same color as his little sister's. A robot that will change his life.
      This is a story that kind of is about not judging people (or things) by what they look like. It shows how some people will stop at nothing to do things. Good or bad. It shows how things change over time, and that there are lots of people in the world with worse problems than you. There are people in the world who probably want to go to school but can't, or don't-like Sammy's sister, Maddie. I think that this was a very interesting book about life, how people deal with problems, and about the fact that all robots may not be as awesome as you think, until you get to know them.